Análisis interpretativo del arreglo A Gershwin Fantasy de Ralph Martino basado en obras del compositor George Gershwin

Abstract

This undergraduate thesis offers an interpretive analysis of A Gershwin Fantasy, an arrangement by Ralph Martino based on works by composer George Gershwin. It serves as a representative study of the intersection between classical music and jazz within the saxophone repertoire. Developed under the Creation–Interpretation modality, the research begins with a contextual exploration of Gershwin’s life and music, followed by an examination of the technical, stylistic, and structural elements that shape the piece. Through formal, contextual, and performance-based analysis, the study explores the interpretive tools a saxophonist must employ to navigate a hybrid musical language—one in which symphonic structures coexist with the gestures and sonorities of jazz.

This project highlights the saxophone’s role as a bridge between these two musical worlds and aims to provide interpretive resources from the perspective of a classically trained saxophonist engaging with jazz. In this sense, the analysis of A Gershwin Fantasy not only illuminates the dialogue between musical languages within a single work, but also broadens the expressive potential of the instrument. This thesis is part of an artistic inquiry that transcends stylistic boundaries, offering an integrative, reflective, and contemporary approach to musical interpretation.